Grinding or honing machine



June 13, 1939. THARP 2,162,187

GRINDING OR HONING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1938 Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRINDING 0R HONING MACHINE James H. Tharp, Abilene, Tex.

Application July 18, 1938, Serial No. 219,844

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a grinding or honing machine and more particularly a machine of this character which is particularly adapted for use on crank shafts and the like.

One of, the objects of the present invention is to provide a device of this character which is adapted to grind or hone cranks and such similar articles to a high degree of precision.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device which will simplify the grinding or honing operation on a shaft of this character.

A still further important object is to provide a honing or grinding machine which is relatively cheap to manufacture and simple to operate.

In the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of Figure 1, taken on line 33 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow.

In the accompanying drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reference numeral 4 generally designates the crank pin of a crank shaft 6 which is desired to be honed or ground. The crank shaft 6 may be secured or supported in any manner. The machine comprises a pair of semi-circular sections 8 and lflwhich are pivotally mounted together at their adjacent free ends by means of a hinge l2. Adjacent the outer surfaces of the other free ends of the sections 8 and Hi there is secured, by means of bolts l4, apertured ears [6 and I8 which through the medium of the screw bolt 20 enables the sections 8 and [0 to be firmly locked together forming a circular support.

As clearly illustrated in the drawing, to the outer surface there is secured by means of screw bolts 24 to each section, a semi-circular ring gear section 26 and 28. As will be clearly apparent from a study of the drawing, the free ends of the sections 28 and 28 are brought together upon the closing of the sections 8 and Hi to form a driving ring. gear.

Each of the sections 8 and I0 respectively are provided with pairs of spacedly disposed apertures 30 therein in which there is slidably mounted shafts 34 and 36 to the free ends of which are secured substantially U-shaped supports 38.

Alternately disposed shafts 34 and 36 carry on the free ends thereof substantially U-shaped supports 38 in which, by means of a shaft 40, there are pivotally mounted guide rollers 42 which, as will be hereinafter more fully described, bear against the periphery of the crank pin. The remaining or intermediate pairs of shafts 34 and 36 carry or have secured to the free ends thereof substantially U-shaped members 44 which are U-shaped in transverse sectional view for removably supporting a grinding or honing element 46.

As will be clearly observed, the outer ends of the shafts 34 and 38 have screw-threaded thereon pairs of nuts 58 and 52 which are received in the enlarged recesses 54 of the outer periphery of the sections. The respective supports 38 and 44 are normally urged inwardly toward the center in a radial direction by means of the coiled springs 68 which encircle the different shafts 34 and 36 and are disposed between the support and the inner periphery of the ring section. It will thus be clearly observed that the inward radial movement of the support as well as the contact pressure of the rollers and abrasive element may be controlled by means of the nuts and 52 on the respective ends of the shafts 34 and 3%.

Circular rotation of the supporting ring is obtained by means of a pinion gear 64 which is rotatably mounted in a suitable manner in a bearing in the side of one of the sections ll] of the ring gear and provided for rotation in mesh with the ring gear through the medium of a shaft 66. The shaft 66 is mounted in a tubular member 18 having secured to the outer periphery thereof a U-shaped guide member 12. A support 14 is slidable through the guide member 12 and secured in the desired position therein to effect a driving connection between the pinion gear 64 and the ring gear by means of the set screw 16. The shaft 66 is rotated by any type of power means, not illustrated, through the medium of a link connection 18 which is enclosed in a housing 88 screw-threaded to the free end of the tubular member Ill.

In operation, it will thus be seen, that the sections are first disconnected and opened to enable the respective hone and guide rollers to be placed in position around the periphery of the crank pin and through the medium of the screw bolt 20 the sections 8 and H] are firmly connected together to form a ring-shaped support. The desired tension or inward radial contact pressure of the respective rollers and abrasive element are regulated and rotation of the ring and honing or grinding of the crank pin periphery is effected through the driving connection of the pinion gear 64 and the ring gear. "Upon completion of the honing or grinding the sections are disconnected as hereinbefore described enabling the machine to be easily removed from the crank pin.

While there is shown, for the purpose of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is intended, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the prior art or the appended claims.

: mounted sections, a plurality of radially disposed slidable shafts carried by said support, rollers carried by the free ends of some of said shafts and abrasive elements carried by the free ends of the other-pf the shafts, resilientmeansnormally urgingsaid shafts inwardly, meansifor adjusting ,the same, a ring gear carried by said circularshaped support includingla pair of sections, a pinion gear rotatably mounted in the side of one of ,the sectionsrofthe, circular shaped support anlibeing in mesh ,with the gears of the ring gear ahshaft for rotating the pinion gear, a suppottfonmaintaining said shaft in stationary position, andmeans for rotating said pinion gear.

.3. In.a.machine of the class described, a circular shaped support including a pair of piv- ,otally mounted sections, means for removably securing the said sections together, a plurality of radially disposed inwardly directed shafts mounted in said sections, resilient means normally urging said shafts inwardly, guide rollers carried by the free ends of some of said shafts, abrasive elements carried by the free ends of other of said shafts, a ring gear on one side of the tubular support including a pair of semi-circular sections, a pinion gear in mesh with the gears of the ring gear rotatably mounted in the side of one of the sections, a shaft extending from the pinion gear, means for rotating said shaft, and a support in which the shaft is'held'in stationary position for rotation therein. JAMES H. THARP. 

